The University of Connecticut men's basketball team - last year's national champions - has announced that it cannot meet the new, higher standards for academic performance that the National Collegiate Athletic Association enacted last fall.

A dozen other teams - including Syracuse, this year's top seed, Ohio University and Florida State - are at risk of failing to meet the standard, according to a study released this month by the University of Central Florida's Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports.

The new rules have substantially strengthened long-standing NCAA requirements on academic performance. Schools must now ensure that at least half their players are passing courses and moving steadily toward graduation. Teams lose points for each player who drops out, flunks out or transfers after falling behind academically.

I don't see the point of this. They should require all players be passing and heading toward graduation or not enforce the rule at all. They're satisfied with half the players passing? What a joke. It's clearly just for show. If they cared about the future of the students or the image of the NCAA, they'd see to it that all were passing.

It's just the NCAA having to react and deal with the NBA's poor 1 and done rule. I've heard stories of players who knew they were declaring for the draft after their freshman year not attending any classes during spring semester because they knew they could skate by (I'm looking at you Coach Cal).

It clearly isn't just for show if they're potentially disqualifying a dozen programs from the tournament.

I don't see the point of this. They should require all players be passing and heading toward graduation or not enforce the rule at all. They're satisfied with half the players passing? What a joke. It's clearly just for show. If they cared about the future of the students or the image of the NCAA, they'd see to it that all were passing.

If it was just for show, they wouldnt be kicking teams like UCONN out of the tourney. And the reason its not stricter is because they do still want to have an NCAA tournament. Baby steps

The rule is an absolute joke because teams like Kentucky are able to beat the system by recruiting a roster of one-and-dones every year. Not only does Cal piss on the UK tradition by bringing in guys who don't give a fug about the school or colors they play for, but they're rewarded by not really having to worry about APR just pathetic NCAA....